Detector



May 25, 1954 A. A. MACDONALD DETECTOR Filed June 15, 1949 Fig.2.

Fig.l.

Source Source To Grid of Amplifier Tube R.M.S.1nput Voltage INVENTOR v Angus A.Mccdonul WlTNESSES:

ATTORNEY Patented May 25, 1 954 TENT OFFICE DETECTOR Angus A. Macdonald, Catonsville, Md., assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 15, 1949, Serial N 0. 99,243

4 Claims.

This invention relates to linear detectors, and it relates more particularly to circuits for providing linearity from non-linear detectors.

The detectors used most frequently in circuits Where linear response is desired are crystals and vacuum tube diodes. These detectors are not, however, truly linear at small signal amplitudes. Their non-linearity is greatly increased where it is necessary to operate such detectors with load resistances which are not many times greater than the forward resistances of the detectors. Their non-linearity is caused by their increase in forward resistance as the forward voltage drop across them decreases. The back resistances of crystal detectors decrease as their forward resistances increase, so that such detectors will be non-linear at small signal amplitudes regardless of the magnitudes of the load resistances.

This invention provides linearity from a nonlinear detector by loading the detector with a nonlinear load having the same characteristics as the detector. Thus one non-linear rectifier element can be used as a load for a similar nonlinear element used as a detector.

An object of the invention is to provide linearity from a non-linear detector.

Another object of the invention is to load a non-linear detector with a non-linear load having characteristics similar to those of the detector.

Another object of the invention is to provide for a non-linear rectifier element used as a detector, a similar element as a load.

The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing, of which:

Fig. 1 is a circuit schematic illustrating the invention embodied in a voltmeter circuit which would be used where the source impedance is small compared to the detector input impedance;

Fig. 2 is a circuit schematic illustrating the invention embodied in a voltmeter circuit which WOllldbB used where the source impedance is not small compared to the detector input impedance;

Fig. 3 is a circuit schematic of the invention embodied in a voltmeter circuit which would be used where the source impedance is small compared to the detector input impedance, and where the non-linear load is shunted by a load resistance which is not large compared to the non-linear load resistance;

Fig. 4 is a circuit schematic of the invention embodied in a voltmeter circuit which would be used where the source impedance is not small compared to the detector input impedance, and where the non-linear load is shunted by a load resistance which is not large compared to the non-linear load resistance;

Fig. 5 is a circuit schematic illustrating another embodiment of the invention suitable for the detection of amplitude modulated signals in a radio or television receiver, and

Fig. 6 is a graph illustrating the linear characteristics of a circuit embodying this invention.

Referring first to Fig. 1 of the drawing, the primary winding of the transformer I0 is connected to a source of alternating current voltages to be measured. Its secondary winding has the rectifier elements II and I2 connected in series thereacross, the element ll serving as a detector, and the element [2 serving as a non-linear load for the detector. The two elements are connected, as illustrated by the drawing, to conduct in the same direction. The output circuit is terminated in the direct current voltmeter l3 which has an input resistance l4 shunted as a load resistance across the element [2.

The by-pass capacitor 15 is connected across the rectifier element l2, but its use is optional although desirable. Its only efiect is to decrease the alternating current component, and to increase the direct current component, of the voltage appearing across the load element l2.

The rectifier elements It and i2 should be similar in that they should have the same voltage-resistance characteristics whereby the nonlinearity of the element l2 corrects for the nonlinearity of the element H so that the output voltage appearing across the load element l 2 and indicated by the meter l3 will be linear. The elements I and H! may be crystals, diode vacuum tubes, the electrodes of other tubes used as rectifier electrodes, or other rectifiers such as copper oxide or selenium rectifiers.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated by Fig. 1 of the drawing is suitable where the source resistance is much less than the input resistance of the detector element I l. Where the source resistance is not much less than the input resistance of the detector element as in the case of most applications, it must be compensated for as illustrated by Fig. 2 of the drawing where the source resistance is illustrated as the resistor l6 connected in series with the rectifier element l i and the source 2 I. For linearity, the resistor l! having substantially the same resistance as the resistor It is connected in series with the rectifier element [2, the two together forming the nonlinear load for the detector H.

In the circuits of Figs. 1 and 2 the value of the voltmeter resistance I4 should be suficiently greater than the back resistance of the element l2 which it shunts, when the latter is a crystal, and should be sufiiciently greater than the forward resistance of the element l2 when the latter is a diode tube, that it does not appreciably load the circuit.

In cases where the meter resistance I4 is such that it formsaload. resistance which appreciably loads the'circuit, substantially the same value of resistance should be shunted across the detector element H where the source resistance is much less than the input resistance of the detector element, and should be shunted across the detector element and the source. resistance where the source resistance is notmuchless 'than'the input resistance of the detectonelement.

Fig. 3 of the drawing illustrates a case where the resistance I4 of the voltmeterl3'is*such'a relatively low, shunt resistance, and where the input resistance of the source 2| is so much less than the. input resistance of the detector'element I lthat it can be disregarded. For linearity, the resistor I 8 having .about. the. same resistance as the resistance'li l should be shunted acrossthe detector element II.

"Fig. 4"0f the drawing is similar to-Fig.'3 thereof except that since-the source resistanceiisnot much less than the input resistance of the detector elementllly'a resistor "having the same valueis connected in series with therectifier element [2. 'Since'the re'sistance'ld is shunted across theload'element' l2 and the resistor IT, a corresponding resistor I8 is shunted across the detector element II and the resistance [6 of the source.

Fig.5 of'the drawing. illustrates theinvention embodied in a detector circuit for a radio .or television receiver. The source'2l of radio frequency voltages is connectedto the "detector element .H and it: has aresistance equal to that of the resistor l1 connectedin series with .the'load element I2. .The ra'dio'frequencychokefm.andthe bypass capacitors .22 are connectedbetweenthe detector element? and the"load-element E2. The signal'at' the output side of'theloadelement is connected tothe'gri'd of. aTfollowing amplifier tube.

Fig.'6 of the drawing'illustrateslthellinearity provide'd'by this invention. "The. inputvoltages are plotted againstthe output voltages, .thelline A representing the response using two'lN34 crystals'picked at random, and'thelineIB representing'the response using the .two .diodeusections of'a '6AL5 dual diode tube picked at.random, one diode sectionserving as a detector element, and the other. diode section serving as the load therefor.

The mathematical proof of the linearity of .the circuit of Fig. 1 without the capacitor is demonstrated in the following, the source resistance being assumed 'to be zero so that where diodes are used for the detector and load elements, the effects of Edison currents will be balanced out.

e the applied A. C. voltage e1=the A. C. voltage across the detector element ez the A. C. voltage across'the non-linear load element eo=the D. C. voltage across the non-linear load element zzthe A. C. current K1 and K2 are constants a is an exponent Ezthe peak response of e .Iieis BuSiIlGWVflVG having a peak amplitude E, the D. C. voltage, e0 across the load diode will be:

Regardlessao'f the-"relative values of Kl: anvi -K2, it can be seen from the above that 60 is proportional :to E.

'If- K1:K2 then Themathematicalproof ofthelinearityiof the same "circuit 'using the 'by=pass *capacitor 15 is demonstrated as follows wherein addition to'the symbols defined in theforegoing:

K0 is aconstant C is'a constant 01=the angular change ZilT-Co at-the beginningof a half-cycle of rectification 02=the angular change in coat the end of 'a-halfcycle of rectification The capacity" of-the-capacitor- I5 isassumed to be so large that-"01-= 62 which is to say *that "the change in-eo' during a 'cycle is small enough to be neglected. e1=the instantaneous value of positive voltage across the detector element. il=thei instantaneous current through the detecltor element .z'u=the D. C. current through the non-linearload element ia=the average value'of i io=ia io=K060 i1=Kie1 eo= E. sin .01 aridLtherfore,

-If:-.-sin. 01 is'.a-1constant,-. the -value .of the' integral will beraiconstant. Sin 01 will be a constantzif en is proportionalto .Assume- SlIlfll. .is raconstant and determine-whether or not an is propor- ..tional to E.

8- C'K Ila o 21rKo and en is proportional to E. Therefore, the value of the integral is a constant and the solution above is correct.

I claim as my invention:

1. A linear detector circuit comprising an input circuit having resistance, a pair of similar rectifier elements connected in series so as to conduct in the same direction and connected across said input circuit, an output circuit having a first resistor connected across one of said elements, and a second resistor having substantially the same resistance as said first resistor connected across the other of said elements and the resistance of said input circuit.

2. A linear detector circuit comprising an input circuit having a resistance, a first resistor having substantially the same resistance as that of said input circuit, a pair of similar rectifier elements connected in series with each other so as to conduct in the same direction, said pair of rectifier elements being connected in series with said resistor across said input circuit, an output circuit having a resistance and being connected across one of said elements and said first resistor. and a second resistor having substantially the same resistance as said output circuit and being connected across the other of said elements and the resistance of said input circuit.

3. A linear detector circuit as claimed in claim 1 in which a capacitor is connected across said one of said elements.

4. A linear detector circuit as claimed in claim 2 in which a capacitor is connected across said one of said elements and the first mentioned resistor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

